


Cliff's Edge

by alysurr



Series: Sing a Shanty for Me [2]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Birthday Party, Drinking, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Groping, Jealousy, Kissing, Making Out, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:08:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25584136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alysurr/pseuds/alysurr
Summary: Mermista runs into someone unexpected while at the grand opening of a new club in Sea Worthy.Sea Hawk comes to Mermista’s 18th birthday.
Relationships: Mermista & Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra)
Series: Sing a Shanty for Me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854265
Comments: 12
Kudos: 55





	1. Cliff's Edge

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place about 2 years after "I'll Dive Back In" but can stand on its own just fine.

cliff's edge, you turn me on, you lead me on   
you got me on a cliff's edge, where I belong   
you got me on, you turn me on

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

Mermista usually managed to talk her way out of these kinds of things by telling Prince Peekablue that as the reigning Princess, she simply couldn’t just go to events in Salineas without being bombarded by the public. Not that she didn’t want to be around her subjects or was uncaring or unwilling to help those in need, but it was impossible to relax when she was worried about keeping the Princess facade on. 

This time, she wasn’t so lucky. 

“It’s in Seaworthy, Mermista, you can’t excuse your way out of this one,” the cocky Prince said over the communicator Mermista had propped up on a stool near her bathtub, from which she elicited a dramatic groan as she turned over to face it. Her tail popped out of the water and fell over the side of the tub, creating a puddle of warm soapy water on the tile floor with a splash. Prince Peekablue was in his own bedroom, lounging on the bed with a mud mask on, his soft blue hair held back by a headband. l

“Raincheck?” Mermista asked. “I’m PMSing,” she added, a last resort. 

“Not this time, sweetheart. Also, don’t even try that, you’re not nearly bitchy enough to be PMSing right now.”

“Ugh, fiiiiine. Can I invite Perfuma along, for when you inevitably ditch me for some random?”

Peekablue pressed his hand to his chest, feigning offense. “That doesn’t sound like me! But do whatever you need girl!” 

“Uh-huh. Just meet me here at eight,” Mermista said, reaching out to end the call as the Prince blew kisses into the camera. She laid back in the tub for a few more minutes, closing her eyes and enjoying the hot water and perfumes before rinsing the conditioner out of her hair and getting out, easily transforming her tail back into legs. 

She pulled the water out of her hair and flicked it into the tub, then did the same with the rest of her body. It was mid-october, and the summer humidity was finally settling down. She might actually manage to keep her soft curls looking this good all night, at least until she started drinking and dancing. 

Mermista would be eighteen next week. She had been on the throne for eight months now, after her father abandoned it shortly after her mother was killed protecting the Sea Gate in a Horde attack. There hadn’t been an attack since, and the quiet on the coast made it seem like maybe the war wasn’t actually going on. That it was all just a bad dream. But the silence in the hallways of the Salinian castle, the skeleton crew who stayed behind with Mermista, and the decreasing population of Salineas were all there as reminders. With a sigh, Mermista grabbed the communicator and slipped into a robe before heading into her bedroom. She flopped down onto the bed and started a call to Perfuma. 

“Mermista!” The blonde said cheerfully when she answered the call. “How are you, my love?” 

“Okay, I guess,” Mermista responded dryly. 

“What’s wrong?” Perfuma asked, concern in her voice and her brows furrowed. 

“It’s nothing. I was just wondering if you wanted to meet me and Peekablue in Seaworthy tonight for some club opening? They have a botanical garden, I guess, which I’m sure you’d like.” 

“Oh! That sounds very nice!” Perfuma responded gleefully, clapping her hands together. Mermista hated to admit that Perfuma’s soft voice was comforting. “I’d love to come!” 

“Cool,” Mermista responded. “Meet us there at, like, 9:30?”

“I’ll see you then!” 

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

“Stop twitching,” Mermista commanded as she used her index finger to apply silver glitter on Peekablue’s closed eyelids. 

“Darling, it’s a natural reaction to getting stabbed in the eyeballs. You aren’t exactly gentle,” the Prince said with a smirk before turning to the mirror and admiring her work. “Though I’ll admit you do a wonderful job.”

“Whatever, can you do my eyeliner?” The princess handed over a black liquid liner and closed her eyes. Instead of the cool liquid tip, she felt the soft bristles of a brush sweeping into her crease. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry about it darling, we are going to make those brown eyes pop and get you laid tonight!” Mermista leaned back, narrowing her eyes to look at the prince.    
  
“I don’t need to get laid,” she growled. Not that she’d ever been laid to start with, but the Prince didn’t need to know that. 

“It’s okay to admit it, we all need a little loving sometimes. Or just some lusty passion. Even your icy exterior needs to melt a little,” Peekablue said, grabbing her chin and pulling her back to him, forcing her to shut her eyes as he went back in with the brush. 

Peekablue and Mermista had been friends since childhood, and he was always trying to draw out a side of Mermista that she tried to bury. If it weren’t for him, she’d probably only leave the castle on official business, for formal events, or for long ocean swims in her mermaid form. Unfortunately, she got dragged out to these events every so often in Peekablue’s frequently failed attempts to get her to go home with someone from the bar or club they were at. It wasn’t that Mermista wasn’t into the whole idea of finding someone to fall in love with, get married, start a family, whatever. That was her duty as the heir of Salineas, anyways. She had to carry on the line. But she didn’t have to do it  _ now _ . 

Still, she let Peekablue finish smoking out her eyelids, draw on wings so sharp they could cut a man, swipe on highlighter and a dark wine lipstick to complete the look. “Okay smokeshow, take a look!” He said as he held up a mirror. 

It had been a while since Mermista had worn so much makeup. Was it last year’s Dolphin Social? She had to admit, the dark eyeshadow made her honey-colored eyes pop, and the red lipstick complimented her skin beautifully. Peekablue wasn’t done though--he grabbed a comb and began to run it through Mermista’s curls, then took a sparkly gold hair clip and used it to hold half of her hair back, allowing the rest to fall like a waterfall over her shoulders and down her back. Mermista held up a hand at the tiara, though. 

“Not a royal event, I’m not wearing the tiara,” she said and Peekablue made a pouty face as he put it back into its resting place on the vanity. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, looking at the two of them in the mirror and admiring his work. Mermista allowed it for a moment before shrugging him off. “Okay, personal space.” 

“I have a good feeling about tonight!” Peekablue announced. 

“Oh yeah, what’s your farsight telling you now?” Mermista asked with an eye roll and a smirk.

“Oh, just a little tale about your love life.”

“In that case, I’m not interested,” Mermista said with a laugh, standing up and smoothing out her floor length navy tulle skirt. It had a slit in it that ended mid-thigh, showing off her long legs, and shimmery gold glitter that sparkled when she moved. She had paired it with strappy gold heels, gold bracelets and a navy cropped halter top. She considered a sari, but decided she’d probably get too hot if they actually danced. 

“Suit yourself,” Peekablue said cheekily. “Let’s get going, we’re gonna miss the boat!” 

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

Perfuma was already standing outside of the venue in a soft pink sundress and a flower holding her hair back on one side. The skirt of her dress was flowing around her ankles in the soft sea breeze. “Mermista! Peekablue!” she shouted with a wave as they approached her and joined her in the short line that was forming.

“Hey,” Mermista said as Perfuma leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. 

“You look lovely, darling,” Prince Peekablue said to Perfuma as they did the same to her. “Peekablue plus two!” he said to the bouncer in a singsong voice, handing over his ID and a slip of paper that must have been an invitation as they got to the front of the line.

“One for Prince Peekablue. Names and identification?” the bouncer nodded at the other two. Mermista was thankful to not be noticed right away. 

“Mermista Salinian,” she said, handing over her ID, watching the bouncer’s eyes grow wide even without dropping her title.

“Your majesty, I’m so sor--” 

Mermista waved her hand as she tucked her ID back into her clutch. “Please don’t, it’s fine.” 

“Perfuma Plume!” the other Princess said cheerfully holding out her own ID and drawing his attention away. Mermista was kind of jealous at the lack of reaction from the bouncer, but Plumeria wasn’t super close compared to Salineas so it wasn’t unexpected.

Mermista stared down the bouncer as he held the stamp used to designate underaged patrons between his fingers and looked at her. When she didn’t hold out her hand, he begrudgingly handed her a wrist band instead. 

“Thanks,” Mermista said as he opened the door for them. 

Peekablue made good on his promise to not abandon Mermista for the first hour or so, buying her drinks and dancing with her and Perfuma. Mermista hated to admit it, but she was enjoying herself. The club had just opened, and it had a huge dance floor with tons of lights flashing around them. The drinks were heavy on the liquor, and Mermista was already feeling buzzed half way through her second one. The heels weren’t her best idea--her ankles were starting to hurt from constantly bracing herself when she danced. When Peekablue gave her a look over his shoulder as an attractive sea elf buried their face into his neck, she waved him away and they disappeared into the crowd. She turned to Perfuma, who was dancing with another svelte woman, a brunette with a shoulder length bob with hot pink bangs and some insanely buff arms. 

“I’m going to sit down for a bit!” Mermista said to Perfuma, who was too distracted to do anything but nod as the brunette spun her around and dropped her into a dip. 

Mermista made her way into the next room, where there were some empty booths and softer music. She walked over to the bar and ordered another drink, then took it over to a booth and sat down with it. She enjoyed people watching almost as much as she enjoyed laying alone on the Salinian Castle’s private beach. She played with the little straw in her glass as she watched people ordering drinks, couples making out in the other booths, the DJ looking bored between songs. 

After some time, Peekablue found his way to her side, the sea elf nowhere to be found, and fell into the booth across from her. He reached out for her drink and Mermista begrudgingly slid it to him. He grabbed it and gulped it down, ignoring the straw as it fell out of the glass and onto the table. 

“Oh, darling, that wasn’t water,” he said. 

“Water moccasin seltzer,” Mermista responded with a smirk. “Now you owe me another!” 

Peekablue dramatically sighed and pushed himself up from the booth. “You’ll get whatever I give you!” he teased as he headed towards the bar. He came back a few moments later with two cups of water and two glasses of something fruity. Mermista tasted hers and stuck her tongue out at him. “Virgin?” she asked, disappointed.

“You’re cut off! I know how much you can handle. Drink that water!”

Mermista wanted to protest, but the music stopped and someone jumped up on the stage with an acoustic guitar and grabbed the microphone. She and Peekablue turned their attention to the stage and Mermista’s jaw dropped as the guy announced: “This one’s for the absolutely gorgeous Princess of the Sea over there in the corner!”

It was Sea Hawk. 


	2. On the Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sea Hawk and Mermista sneak away from Mermista's friends for some alone time.

i'll fill my glass to take the edge off, the choice is mine   
from the outside, i seem fine   
on the inside i'm still sick, the pill's a temporary fix   
from the outside, i seem fine

Mermista hadn’t forgotten about Sea Hawk. She thought about him for the days following their meeting, almost an obsession. He was so different from her - where she was reserved, scared and blunt, he was unwavering, fearless and so open with his feelings that it scared her. She had dreams about him, even wrote about him in her diary. As the weeks and months passed, she thought about him less and less, but he was still there in the back of her head. And now he was standing in front of her, on stage, staring right at her.

“Oh, well isn’t he a hottie,” Peekablue said, leaning forward, resting his face in his hands with a shit-eating grin. “Do you know him?”

Mermista’s face was hot. “Kind of?” She didn’t turn, her body was frozen as she held Sea Hawk’s gaze. If other people were looking at her, she didn’t know. It was just the two of them at that moment.

“Care to elaborate?” asked Peekablue, bringing her back to reality. 

“Um, I was fifteen and he was working on one of the ships that my dad chartered and um…” Mermista lowered her voice to a whisper as her face grew hotter, “we made out…”

“Speak up, darling? I can’t hear you over the rock star serenading you.”

“We made out!” Mermista hissed, louder than she intended, causing the people at the table next to them to shoot her a dirty look. 

“Who made out?” Perfuma asked, joining them at the table and sliding into the booth next to Peekablue. Mermista covered her face in her hands as she turned to face her. 

“This is so embarrassing,” she groaned, causing Peekablue to roar with laughter. 

“You like him! I’ve never seen you this flustered in my life!” He bellowed. “Told you I had a good feeling about tonight!”

“Who do you like?!” Perfuma asked excitedly. 

“No one!” Mermista said into her hands at the same time as Peekablue loudly said “Hot stuff on stage up there!”

Mermista buried her head in her arms on the table with a groan, and didn’t get up when the music stopped. 

“I-is she okay?” asked Sea Hawk a few moments later, with an awkward laugh. 

“I think she died from embarrassment. What’s your name, hot stuff?”

“Sea Hawk. Mermista, I am so sorry to have embarrassed you! That wasn’t my intention at all!”

“It wasn’t you,” Mermista muttered as she still had her head between her arms. 

“What was that?” asked Peekablue. 

“YOU are the embarrassing one,” Mermista said, raising her head so she could glare at him. 

“I can accept that. Now scooch over, so lover boy can sit down.” Mermista obliged and Sea Hawk awkwardly sat down next to her. 

“Hey,” she said anxiously. “Um… this is Prince Peekablue and Princess Perfuma.” 

“Your song was lovely, Sea Hawk!” Perfuma said, clasping her hands together. 

“Thank you! I’m really sorry if that was embarrassing for you Mermista, I didn’t think—“ Mermista interrupted him with a wave of her hand. 

“It’s fine, it was nice,” she assured him. 

“She was just telling me about your make out sess—OW!” Peekablue stopped suddenly when Mermista kicked him under the table, her face getting more and more red with every word, the water in their cups starting to agitate. “Chill, Princess.” 

“I was wondering if you had remembered that,” Sea Hawk said, scratching the back of his neck with a blush. 

“Aren’t you two just the cutest?” Peekablue continued to tease. “If you kick me one more time I’m leaving your ass here tonight.”

“Like I can’t just swim home!” 

“You wouldn’t have to do that, Princess, I have a boat,” Sea Hawk assured her, placing a hand on her arm. 

“Mermista, didn’t you say there was a botanical garden?” Perfuma asked in an attempt to steer the conversation in literally any other direction. 

“Yeah,” Mermista said blankly, tilting her head as she looked at Perfuma, waiting for the point. 

“Wouldn’t it be nice to get some fresh air?” the blonde asked. “Just the two of you?” she added when Peekablue opened his mouth to speak.

“Oh, you’re right!” Mermista said suddenly, then nudged Sea Hawk with her hip. “Come on, Sea Hawk, lets go check out the garden.”

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

The garden was absolutely stunning. There were hanging lights and little bistro tables with illuminated umbrellas, already mature trees and large bushes that must have been shipped in from elsewhere because a lot of them were species Mermista had never seen before. 

“I can’t believe we’re both here tonight,” Sea Hawk said happily. “You’re just as gorgeous as you were the day we met.” 

“Damn, and here I was thinking I looked a little better than I did as a chubby fifteen-year-old,” Mermista said sarcastically. 

“What!? That’s not what I meant at all! And you--you definitely weren’t and aren’t chubby!” Sea Hawk exclaimed.

“I know, I was just kidding,” Mermista said, looking down. “What brought you to SeaWorthy?” she asked awkwardly after a few moments of silence. 

“My crew and I are on a break between fishing trips,” Sea Hawk said. “Found out there was a club opening, we figured we’d come out tonight, and then I saw you dancing with your friends and…”

“Decided to announce yourself with a grand gesture instead of the normal way?” Mermista suggested. 

Sea Hawk chuckled. “I guess.”

“You’re not working for the charter ship anymore?”

“Nope!” He beamed. They walked and Mermista listened as he told her about how he saved up enough to get his own ship, scrounged up a crew of friends he had met during his time on the charter ship, and started his own fishing business with his dad’s help. He still talked with his hands, his eyes sparkling as he talked about his job which he seemed to be very passionate about. He was just a bit taller than before, more rugged with a bit of stubble on his jaw in addition to the same mustache he had last time they met. His shoulders were broader, his arms more muscular under a gray jacket. His thin white shirt stretched over his chest just slightly. Mermista swallowed. 

“That’s really cool,” she said when he stopped talking. 

“Isn’t it?” Sea Hawk asked, still beaming. “What have you been up to, Princess?” 

“Well, I’m the reigning Princess now,” she said casually. “My mom… died last year in a Horde raid. She was protecting the Sea Gate. After that, my dad stepped down and fucked off to some island.” Mermista didn’t try to hide the bitterness in her voice. 

“I’m sorry,” Sea Hawk said, taking her hand in his. She blushed as she looked up at him, his eyes now dark and his face was genuinely sad. “That’s... Wow, a lot.”

“It’s cool, I’m handling it.” 

“I hope you’re not doing it alone.” 

“I’m not… well not really. I have my guard and I have a few counselors and… It’s not like we have been attacked for a while, I can always reach out to the Queen of Bright Moon if I really need to, but I know they’re dealing with their own shit… and there’s the Kingdom of Snows, their reigning Princess is nine so I have their counselors to reach out to if I need to, they’re used to inexperienced rulers, I just don’t want to be a bother…” She trailed off. “You don’t have to feel bad for me, it’s  _ fine _ . I’m handling it.”

“I don’t,” Sea Hawk said. “I admire the strength and fortitude you’re showing right now. Even though I know you must be in a lot of pain.” 

What was this guy’s deal? Why did she even say all of those things? Who was he to make her feel vulnerable like this? And why did he have to be so cute, looking at her with those eyes full of pity?

_ Fuck it _ , Mermista thought, deciding she was going to do what she had been yearning to for the past two years. Her heels made it so that she only had to strain a little bit to wrap her arms around his neck and put her lips on his, and they were embracing, kissing softly in the middle of the garden path. His lips tasted just like she remembered, his mustache tickling her the same way it had that night. He wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer and resting his hands on her lower back. 

She didn’t even stop when Peekablue started whistling behind them, instead just giving him the finger which caused him to laugh. She could feel the pull of a smile on Sea Hawk’s lips as a soft chuckle shook his chest. 

“Do you want to get out of here?” she asked when she pulled back, not even bothering to look for Peekablue and Perfuma. 

“Have anywhere in particular in mind?” Sea Hawk asked with a soft smile. 

“Not really,” Mermista said. “Just anywhere but here.”

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

She took her heels off just before they reached the beach, swinging them at her side in one hand as they walked on the soft sand. Sea Hawk held her other hand as he told her about one of his latest fishing trips, where they were almost taken down by one of the sea monsters in the Ship Graveyard. 

“You’re not supposed to sail there!” Mermista exclaimed. “I thought everyone knew that!” 

Sea Hawk laughed and responded, “But it wouldn’t be an adventure without a little danger!” 

“You’re insane! Dying isn’t an adventure,” protested Mermista as they approached the pier.

“Almost dying can be,” Sea Hawk said as he climbed up on it and reached down to help her up. She grabbed his hand and stumbled a little bit, the effects of the alcohol still in her system, but they were sitting at the end of it a few moments later. 

“I just can’t get over the ocean,” Mermista gushed as she looked over the sea, illuminated by the moonslight. Sea Hawk kicked his legs as they dangled, like he couldn’t sit still. 

“It’s a beauty for sure,” he responded. “Not unlike yourself.” 

“Shut up,” Mermista said, smacking his thigh gently. 

“Do you really want me to?” Sea Hawk asked nervously. 

“No.” Mermista leaned into him, pressing her shoulder into his side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Which ship is yours?” 

“That one, with the lights on right now. The guys are probably having dinner right now,” he said as he pointed across the docks. 

“You don’t like to stay and eat with them?” 

“Not after a week straight of it. I love sailing and being on the water, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes it’s nice to be on land for just a bit, and eat somebody else’s cooking. And lucky me, I ran into you.” He pressed a kiss into Mermista’s hair. “Can I be honest with you?” 

“Can I really stop you?”

“I guess not,” Sea Hawk laughed. He paused for a few moments, collecting himself. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we met. I’ve never encountered anyone like you. You’re so collected and put together and just… cool.” 

“Did we experience the same day? I remember getting stoned, eating until I had a stomach ache, then getting into a fight with my guard.”

“That’s what makes you exciting!” He was laughing again, wiping a tear from his eye. “Did you end up firing that guy like you said you would?” 

“No. The bastard quit before my coronation. Coward.” Their attention was pulled away by the sound of a shriek, and they turned to the beach where a couple of kids were chasing one another, the one behind pouncing on the one in front and they both fell into the water in a fit of laughter. “Swimming sounds sooo nice right now,” she said softly. 

“Do you want to?” Sea Hawk asked. “It’s super shallow up here, but if you want to, I know a really good place.

“Sounds good to me,” Mermista said. Sea Hawk stood up and held out a hand to pull her up too. 

“It’s not far from here.”


	3. Swim Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sea Hawk and Mermista go for a nighttime swim.

i've been thinking about you, girl,   
and sweetheart I owe you the world

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

It wasn’t a quick trip, but the conversation made it seem to go by much quicker. Mermista told Sea Hawk about how she met Peekablue and Perfuma, he told her about his crew, four guys and a girl, and how he came to meet each of them. He told her about how he had made it to Alwyn to meet his dad and new younger siblings. 

“Kids are just great, you know?” He said wistfully. 

“Eh, not really. The only kids I’ve been around are my youngest cousins and they’re at the age where all they do is follow you around and ask questions. The rest of my cousins are all older than me, and I’m an only child so…” she trailed off. 

“Well babies are just adorable, and then toddlers and little kids literally think anything adults do is just the coolest.”

“I can see how you’d get a kick out of that,” Mermista said with a smirk. 

“Huh?” 

“Someone finally thinking you’re cool,” she said with a playful shove. She skipped in front of him then turned around, walking backwards. 

“Hey!” Sea Hawk protested. “That’s so mean!”

“Truth hurts—Ah!” She shrieked as Sea Hawk grabbed her by her waist and threw her over his shoulder. “Put me down!” 

“Not until you say I’m cool!”

“Never!” Mermista laughed, smacking his back. 

“Guess I’m carrying you the rest of the way there then!”

“Not if I have anything to say about it!” Mermista grabbed his waist and started tickling him, causing him to double over while choking out laughs and protests. “You can stop this at any time!” 

He finally released her, allowing her to get to her feet as he was still doubled over and panting. “Not fair,” he said as Mermista pulled the clip out of her hair, which was now all over the place, and replaced it. 

“Neither is your height advantage,” Mermista said, sticking her tongue out at him. “How much further do we have? I want to take these off,” she said, motioning to her heels. She had put them back on when they got to the road because she didn’t like the feeling of gravel on her bare feet. They just weren’t made for walking long distances. 

“Want me to carry them?” Sea Hawk offered.

“It’s okay, but thanks,” she responded. He took her hand instead. 

The place Sea Hawk led Mermista to was straight out of a fairy tale. The road ended and they took a well-worn path through the woods that opened up into a small clearing. In the clearing was a natural spring with crystal clear water at the base of some cliffs, surrounded by forest, with its own little waterfall that made it seem even more magical. 

“Woah.” 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? The water’s ice cold too. I always thought springs were hot before I found this place.” 

“How’d you find it?” Mermista asked as they got to the edge of the water. She took her heels off one at a time, then started to unzip her skirt. 

“Just… exploring the town,” Sea Hawk said. It sounded like there was more to the story, and his face was slightly flushed as he scratched his neck and looked away, but Mermista didn’t press further. She let her skirt fall around her ankles. 

“Come on!” She urged him, before diving into the water, transforming her legs into a tail midair. He wasn’t wrong--the water was ice cold, even more than the waters on the border between Salineas and the Kingdom of Snows. It didn’t take long for her body to adjust though, and she broke the surface a few moments later, looking for Sea Hawk. He was frozen on the shore, his shirt and jacket off and pants half unbuttoned. “What’s wrong?” she asked as her tail poked out of the water behind her, coming back down with a small splash. 

“I uh, totally forgot about that.”

“About wh--oh. Yeah, I guess it can be shocking the first time.” She bit her lip, feeling a bit unraveled and insecure. “I can switch back, if you’d prefer that.”

“No no no!” Sea Hawk protested, reaching down to take off his own shoes and socks then dropping his pants to reveal red boxer briefs. He dove into the water and swam over to her. 

“I was just taken back,” he explained when he surfaced in front of her. “It’s breathtaking.” 

Mermista’s face grew hot again, and she considered splashing him to distract him but he pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear and left his fingers lingering on her jaw. 

“Can I kiss you?” he asked. 

“Y-yeah,” Mermista said, then met him half way. His fingers slid down to her neck, then back up to her hair, getting caught midway. “Ah!” she yelped, pulling back and putting her hand where his had just been. “Gills.”

“Neptune! I’m so sorry,” Sea Hawk said, reaching out to her. “I didn’t mean to hurt you!” 

“It’s okay, I should have told you. Here.” Mermista leaned her head over, exposing the side of her neck to him and grabbed his hand, running his fingers over where they were. When she wasn’t in the water, they laid nearly flat, but running against them could separate them which was uncomfortable at best and painful at worst. “Just run your fingers down, not up. Same with my tail.” She pulled his hand down to her hip, where her scales began. 

“It’s so soft,” he said with a smile as he stroked the side of her tail. 

“Oh, and it’s probably best not to put your tongue in my mouth like this,” she added. 

“Why?” Sea Hawk asked, puzzled. 

“Not sure if it’s light enough for you to see, but when I’m a mermaid my molars are replaced with sharper teeth for like… hunting and stuff. And I’m not sure if they’d hurt you. I guess I should have told you all of this earlier, sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” 

“Hey, don’t be like that. It’s fine.” He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, his fingers still absentmindedly stroking her tail. “Does it hurt to transform?” He asked after a few moments. 

“No, it doesn’t feel like anything really. I guess it’s similar to a vibration if I were to compare it to something.” 

“I just remember like, losing my teeth when I was a kid and how painful it was when they grew back.” 

“Really?” Mermista asked. “It didn’t hurt at all for me. Mine grew in like the next day after they fell out.”

“That’s so interesting,” Sea Hawk said with a chuckle. He leaned back and opened his eyes to look at her. “And here we already had such different experiences growing up, there’s just so much more isn’t there?” 

“I guess? I feel like that’s it though… as far as weird things you should know about me.” 

“Can you---you know--as a mermaid?” 

“Uh?” 

Sea Hawk’s face went from rosy to scarlet and he looked away. “Nevermind. Forget I asked.” 

“No, what is it?” 

“It’s nothing.” 

“Tell me!” 

“Nope!” Sea Hawk said, splashing her then diving under the water to swim away. She was much faster than he was though, and grabbed his legs. He laughed under the water, the air in his lungs coming out in huge bubbles, then resurfaced with her. He was coughing when she joined him. “Guess I can’t escape you in the water, huh?”

“Not sure why you even considered that an option, honestly.” Mermista was smiling again. They were near one of the cliffs, and she hauled herself up on it, sitting with the end of her tail in the water swaying side to side. “It’s cool, keep your secrets.” 

Sea Hawk propped his arms up on the slab of rock next to her and rested his head on them. “I have an affinity for accidentally setting things on fire. Like, entire ships and stuff.”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“Well, since we are sharing things about ourselves--I figured I would tell you something weird about me.” 

“How do you accidentally set something on fire?” 

“I don’t know, it’s just a thing that… happens around me.” 

“That’s like saying, ‘oh, whirlpools just happen around me, sorry, I can’t control it’.” 

“Not the same,” Sea Hawk said. “It’s not like I can produce fire from my fingertips.” 

“Uh, I can’t either? The water already has to exist for me to control it. I mean, I suppose on a super humid day I could pull moisture out of the air, but I’ve never tried to.” 

“Okay okay, let’s change the subject,” Sea Hawk said. 

“Then what were you trying to ask me earlier?”

Sea Hawk just took the opportunity to sink under the water, staying there for a few moments. Mermista laughed and flicked her tail in his direction. 

_ Damn, dude has some lungs on him,  _ she thought when he didn’t come up after a couple of minutes. It wasn’t unusual for sailors to be able to hold their breaths for long periods of time—the whole possibility of going overboard or a ship potentially sinking and the fear that comes with it is a good motivation to do so. Plus, sometimes with fishing boats if a net or anchor gets caught on something, someone has to jump into the water to untangle or free it. 

Tired of waiting for him to surface, she slid back into the water and grabbed his face, kissing him on the cheek. She grinned as his eyes opened suddenly and they both surfaced at the same time. 

“I could have done that for at least three more minutes,” he boasted. 

“I believe it,” Mermista smirked. “If you don’t wanna talk to me that badly, you should have just said so. I can go home.”

“Or we could make out some more,” Sea Hawk offered. 

Mermista sent a small wave of water in his direction and backflipped away before he could get her back. They did this for a while, swimming around and splashing each other, teasing each other and laughing between stolen kisses. After a while they both fired out and ended up sitting together on the cliff. 

“What are you doing next week? On the 21st?” Mermista asked suddenly. 

“Let’s see, we are leaving for another fishing trip on the 15th, and we are going to be up in the Kingdom of Snows because it’s trout season… typically it takes one and a half days to get there and one and a half days back to Sea Worthy. We’ll be there for 3 days so I imagine I’ll be back here some time during the day on the 21st. Why?”

“I was just going to see if you wanted to come to my birthday party.”

Sea Hawk’s eyes lit up. “Really?!” he asked excitedly. 

“Yeah it’s not like a big deal though.” 

“I’d be honored to come, Princess.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it as she rolled her eyes. 

“Okay, cool. It’s at the castle starting at 7pm. I’ll put your name on the list.” She yawned and realized just how late it was getting. 

“Ready to head home?” Sea Hawk asked and she nodded, transforming her tail back into legs. He got up and pulled her to her feet, then they walked over and started putting their clothes back on. Mermista pulled the water off her body and hair and Sea Hawk watched in astonishment as she flicked it back into the spring. “Woah.”

“Want me to do you?” She asked, then blushed. “I mean, dry you off?” 

“Sure,” he said. “I’d like if you uh, dried me off.”

With a wave of her hand Mermista pulled the water off of his body and held it midair as he laughed. “It tickles!” He said as she dropped it into the spring. “That’s so cool! When it rains can you avoid getting wet like that?”

“Yeah. I kind of just put a water reflection above my head and it kind of flows around me like an umbrella.” Mermista bent down to pick up her skirt and shimmied into it, zipping it back up around her waist. “Stop staring and get dressed,” she commanded, embarrassed as Sea Hawk gazed at her. She turned to have her back to him. 

He apologized as she heard the sound of him pulling his pants on. “You’re just so gorgeous,” he said. 

“Shut up,” Mermista groaned as her cheeks got even hotter. A few moments passed in silence as Sea Hawk got dressed, then he stepped up to her and wrapped his hands around her waist, kissing her neck. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted with another yawn. 

“I get it, I get it. Time to get the sleepy Princess home.”


	4. Making Waves

One of the guys on Sea Hawk’s ship, which Mermista assumed was part of his crew, called after them as they approached it. 

“Get it, Sea Hawk!”

“Snagged another one, eh?” said another. 

They froze, Sea Hawk’s face and neck turning bright red. Mermista felt herself blushing as well as he shouted back to them. 

“Knock that off  _ right now _ , assholes, or you’re scrubbing the fish storage containers yourselves tomorrow!” They responded with drunken laughter, and Sea Hawk was shaking his head, brows furrowed and fingers curled into fists. 

“I got this,” Mermista said, lifting her hand. A wave rose up from the sea and moved in the direction she arched her hand. She relaxed her fingers and the wave dropped over the ship, drenching the crew. They immediately stopped laughing. 

“What the shit?” One of them said, astonished. 

Sea Hawk turned to her, wide eyed and grinning. “You’re a badass,” he said. 

“I do what I can.” Mermista turned to hide her smile—it felt good to be called that. The guards and trainers she worked with always complimented her abilities, but not like that. 

“How the hell did you do that?” one of the guys called. 

“Magic,” Sea Hawk called back. He grabbed Mermista’s hand. “I’m really sorry about them,” he said to her. “Let’s get out of here.”

Mermista gave him a confused look when they continued down the docks, past his ship. “I thought that was your ship?” she asked. 

“Only Cook sleeps on the ship when we aren’t on the water, the rest of us have houseboats,” Sea Hawk said. “Just in case something happens, we won’t lose everything we’ve been working for.” It made sense—Mermista wondered why she hadn’t thought of that before. There were houseboats in Salineas too, but she had never been to one. 

Sea Hawk stepped down from the dock onto the boat and took he hand to help her down too. 

“Plus, this is easier to get ready to sail than the ship and faster too.”

“You don’t have to do that tonight,” Mermista said. “I really can swim home. It’s not that far. You just got back from a trip didn’t you? I’m sure you’re not eager to get back on the water.”

“If it’s for you? It’s so worth it,” Sea Hawk replied as he unlocked the door, then covered his mouth as he yawned. 

“See, you’re tired too.” A sudden breeze came and caused her to shiver, goosebumps forming on her bare arms. 

“Okay, well how about this—you stay the night and I’ll take you home in the morning?” He held the door open for her and she stepped in. It was all basically one room, with a wall dividing the kitchen and a door leading to the bathroom. Shelves on the wall were lined with books and knick knacks, a few instruments sat in various places. There were tools and gadgets on the kitchen bar, and the couch and bed had tons of pillows and blankets. 

“Cozy,” Mermista said as she took it all in. 

“Sorry, it’s kind of small and messy right now.” 

“No, it’s perfect!” Mermista took off her heels for the last time that night and placed them next to Sea Hawk’s shoes. “Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Of course. You don’t have to ask. Make yourself at home.”

In the bathroom, Mermista washed her makeup off. She managed to keep her makeup intact while swimming by carefully ensuring no water actually touched her face, but her lipstick was long gone. She unclipped her hair and ran her fingers through it to untangle it for the most part. 

When she went back into the main room, Sea Hawk was standing there already in his pajamas—simple blue flannels. He held out something to her. “I thought you’d be more comfortable in something other than a dress to sleep in,” he said. “I hope this will do?” Mermista unfolded a gray sweatshirt that said “The Flying Fish: SeaWorthy’s Finest Food and Spirits” on it in faded red letters and navy sweatpants. He handed her a pair of blue and green wool socks, too.

“Thank you,” she said. “That’s really nice of you.”

“I have to go to the bathroom so you can change in here, and the bed is ready for you.” As soon as she heard water running, she started to undress. The shirt was loose on her, but the pants were almost too small to fit over her hips. She wasn’t surprised—she had a lot more junk in her trunk compared to him. She sat down on the couch to put on the socks. 

“I feel bad taking your bed,” she said as Sea Hawk came back out of the bathroom a few minutes later. 

“It’s not a big deal, the couch is comfortable too.” He was pushing his hair back, no longer having the bandana on to hold it out of his face. 

“Yeah but it’s your bed, I can sleep on the couch.”

“You really just look good in anything,” he said suddenly with a smile. 

“Don’t change the subject,” Mermista responded, but she was blushing again.

“Well, it’s big enough for both of us if it’s that big of a deal to you,” Sea Hawk said, closing the distance between them and taking her hands to pull her into a standing position. “But I’m not letting you sleep on the couch.” His face was centimeters away from hers. 

_ This guy, _ Mermista thought. “Okay, fine,” she said, suddenly feeling bold. “We can share.”

When they got under the blanket, a few moments passed where they didn’t touch or move. Sea Hawk’s heart was thumping in his chest because the most beautiful girl he had ever seen was literally laying in his bed with him, wearing his clothes. When she rolled over and put her head on his chest, adjusting her leg to sit on top of his, he thought it might have stopped for a moment. 

“Is this okay?” Mermista whispered. 

“Definitely.” Sea Hawk moved his arm around her, resting his hand on her waist and absentmindedly drew circles on her side with his thumb. He turned to press a kiss to the top of her head, lingering as he enjoyed the scent of her hair. It smelled like the ocean, vanilla and magnolias.

“Thank you for tonight, I had a lot of fun.” Mermista said, looking up at him through her long black eyelashes. 

“It was my pleasure.”

“And that spring was so cool! I’m actually super glad you took me there, I don’t like to swim around boats that much—“ Mermista stopped mid sentence, averting her gaze, then tried to disguise it as a yawn. 

“Hmm? Why?” Sea Hawk asked when she didn’t continue. 

“It’s just that propellers and … nets kind of suck.”

“Oh, right, I guess I can imagine that. Have you ever gotten stuck in a net?”

Mermista nodded. “Yeah, when I was, like, eight. I swam too far away from my dad and you can’t see them that well under water. So I got caught in it and pulled up… they snag on your scales and cut you, and moving only makes it worse, and I couldn’t transform because the pain was too distracting. There are laws against fishing for or killing mermaids, but the pirates who pulled me up didn’t seem to care. If my dad hadn’t been there, I probably would have been speared.” She shivered again and Sea Hawk pulled her closer. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. 

“You didn’t do it.”

“I know but… that could have been me and my crew you know? I mean—obviously we wouldn’t hurt you, but we can’t always help what we pull up and I never thought about the nets cutting or hurting you and—“ he stopped when Mermista grabbed his face to kiss him. She sat up, moving to face him. 

“It’s okay. I wasn’t supposed to be swimming in fishing waters anyways. It was my fault, I’m the one who left the safe area.”

“Still!” Sea Hawk said, visibly angry. “What kind of cowards would do that to a mermaid? Especially a kid? That’s horrifying!”

Mermista pressed her forehead to his. “It’s okay. I don’t really want to talk about that anymore.” She rolled over then, and he adjusted so that he was cuddling her from behind. 

“Sorry, I just… it’s so infuriating.”

“I know. But it happened and it is over. And I’m a lot smarter now about where I swim.” 

He squeezed her a little tighter, and she patted his arm with her hand. It didn’t take very long for her breathing to slow as she fell asleep, and he followed suit shortly after. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I didn't want to write the morning after, so next chapter is moving onto her birthday party!~


	5. What's in Front of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sea Hawk is running late, and Mermista is feeling anxious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Flashbacks with some non consensual underage groping. Starts with [CONTENT WARNING] ends with [/CONTENT WARNING] as it’s only a paragraph. 
> 
> Also, the Star Sisters referenced here are different than the Star Siblings in Canon, as they are not from Etheria and seperate from the Star Sisters mentioned in Princess Prom.

Sea Hawk was anxiously pacing the deck as the ship moved through the water as quickly as a ship its size could. They’d been caught up in customs leaving Snows, delaying their delivery to Wayrahavn and now the sun was rapidly descending towards the skyline. 

He had prepared for the inevitable and fortunately had a change of appropriate clothes with him. He enlisted the help of his first mate, Jace’s, sister to figure out what he should wear and they picked out a really nice waistcoat and slacks that appeared black at first, but in the light reflected a shimmering midnight blue. He paired it with a smoke colored button-up shirt, black ankle boots and slicked back hair, even a little mustache wax (not that he needed it—it just felt right). He visited his aunt for a haircut while in Snows and was feeling pretty good about himself until everything fell apart in customs. 

“Stop worrying so much, you’re making me dizzy.” Sea Hawk turned to face the small woman who had just come up from under the deck. She was tiny—probably no more than 5 feet tall, but all muscle. Her platinum hair was in a bun on top of her head, showing off the shaved undercut below. Normally she wore tight fitting clothes that made work on the ship easier, but right now she had on a parka that fell to her knees. She extended her arm and offered a sandwich, which Sea Hawk accepted.

“Thanks, Nerissa,” he said before taking a bite. The girl leaned on the wall of the ship, pulled her hood up and wrapped her arms around herself. 

“How are you not freezing?” She asked. They were already past the sheets of sea ice that bordered the Kingdom of Snows, but there was still a bite in the air. It might even be snowing in Salineas. 

“Warm blood,” Sea Hawk shrugged. “I’m from Snows, so this isn’t so bad.” 

Nerissa shivered next to him. “It’s so different from the Crimson Waste,” she said, rubbing her arms. She was 15, the newest addition to their crew. They had met in Sea Worthy. Shortly after Sea Hawk had gathered his crew together and bought his ship, she would constantly pester him if she ran into him to join his crew. They didn’t really need another hand, and Sea Hawk wasn’t really sure how good of a teacher he would be, not to mention how the other guys would take to her. She didn’t give him much of a choice when she stowed herself away on the ship and demanded to work. It was probably one of the best things to happen to the crew--she worked hard, learned fast, and it was kind of nice to have a break from the constant banter about women and fighting. Plus, she was an amazing cook, Sea Hawk thought as he finished off the sandwich. 

“You ever think about going back?” Sea Hawk asked. 

“There’s nothing there for me.” He didn’t press further -- Nerissa would talk about it if she felt like it, and it didn’t seem like she wanted to right now. “You ever gonna tell us this girl’s name?” she changed the subject. 

“I told you it was Mermista,” Sea Hawk said with a small chuckle. 

Nerissa rolled her silver-blue eyes and focused her gaze on him. “You don’t have to bullshit with me,” she said.

“I’m not!” Even after she literally drenched half of the crew with her hydrokinesis, none of them believed he was actually with her that night, that he’d met her before, or that she had invited him to her birthday party. 

“So, say I believe you--which I don’t, by the way--what the hell would the Princess of Salineas want with you?” 

“My charm and good looks?” Sea Hawk offered, resulting in a punch in the arm from Nerissa. 

“I guess I’ve never seen you get this worked up over anyone,” Nerissa mused. 

“To be fair, you haven’t known him very long,” Cook said as he approached them from where he was on the other end of the boat, cleaning and storing away the nets. He sidled up to Nerissa, who immediately went to sit up on a stray barrel a few feet away from them. Sea Hawk couldn’t quite pinpoint the nature of their relationship. Nerissa didn’t seem the least bit interested in him, and to be honest Sea Hawk wasn’t super into the idea of anything romantic between them -- Cook was 21. They worked together really well, and they shared the cabin for a few months while Nerissa fought with her parents because they didn’t want her working with a bunch of pirates. Still, Cook didn’t seem overeager to push her to do anything she didn’t want, and Nerissa didn’t seem to hate being around him. 

“That’s true,” Nerissa said. “I just feel like any time someone shows any inkling of interest in you, you’re head over heels then it just kind of fizzles out after you sleep with them.”

“Hit it and quit it,” Cook agreed. 

“This is different,” Sea Hawk said. 

“You said that about Falcon,” Nerissa said. 

“That was different!” Sea Hawk argued. 

“True, I don’t think you’ve ever burnt down someone’s ship while doing it before him,” Cook said.

“Can we please talk about something else?” Sea Hawk asked, feeling his face grow hot as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“I mean, you could tell us what her real name is!” 

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

Mermista spent most of the day in meetings. Inventories of rations and food stores, determining what to do with fugitives from the cities that had been most recently attacked by the Horde, tax collections, city planning, and the upcoming bidding for trade routes. She sat through them anxiously waiting for tonight, excitement building because she really, really wanted to see Sea Hawk again. 

She stood at the large bay window facing the marina, arms crossed over her chest, shifting her balance from one leg to the other anxiously. It was half past nine, but the light from the moons was bright enough to illuminate the docks. His ship wasn’t there, and none had come through in two hours. 

She wasn’t upset.

She wasn’t. 

It was fine. 

_ She was fine.  _

She definitely hadn’t slept in his shirt the last few nights, sending it to the laundry this morning to erase all traces of her for when she gave it back to him tonight. 

She was stupid to think he would want to come here, when he had the whole wide world to explore instead. He said he’d come because he was a nice guy, but clearly something more important had come up. 

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and a head was resting on her shoulder. 

“Your dad just headed out. You’re missing your own party, darling,” said Peekablue as he leaned his head against hers. 

“You know I don’t really like to be in the center of attention,” Mermista said, shrugging him off. 

“Gotta get used to it sometime, Princess.” 

“I just needed a break,” Mermista lied. 

“I’m sure he’ll come,” Peekablue offered. “Night’s still young.”

Mermista crossed her arms. “I’m that obvious, huh?” 

“I just know you too well, honey,” Peekablue said. He went around to face her, then straightened her tiara and tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear. 

Mermista rarely let anyone in, but when she did and it inevitably ended badly, Peekablue had always been there to pick up the pieces. She wished his farsight worked in a way that would stop her from needing to be picked up in the first place, but knew that was too much to ask of him.

When she was thirteen there was a prince named Caspian whose family had stayed at their castle for a few months while their home was repaired after a horde attack. Caspian was sixteen and handsome in a princely way. He knew it, too. All he and Mermista did was argue. He was a fairly gifted sailor for his age, so they’d occasionally go out on the boat and explore the nearby coastlines. She’d always give him shit for going too slow, and he’d always give her shit for rushing and being impatient as always. Peekablue and the youngest Star Sister, Vega, would join them sometimes. Peekablue always teased her, saying she’d follow Caspian into battle if he asked her to. And maybe she would have. 

Caspian was her first kiss.

They had found a little lagoon that went into a cave, and the four of them were exploring it for the better part of an afternoon. The summer heat was getting to them, and they all went into the water. Mermista was enjoying herself in her mermaid form, lazily swimming around and just drifting. Vega had to go home and Peekablue was going to accompany her, leaving Mermista and Caspian alone together. Tired of swimming, Caspian had perched himself on a large boulder while Mermista found a dolphin to play with. When the dolphin left to go back to its family, she swam over to the boulder where he was laying on his back and sent a splash of water over him. After the initial shock and coughing up the water that went up his nose, he shouted at her for being immature. They got into an argument, Mermista still in the water and Caspian sitting in front of her on the rock. 

[CONTENT WARNING] She couldn’t ever recall the exact words they used, but she did remember the way he grabbed her shirt, pulling her up to kiss him in the middle of her yelling. He tasted like sea salt and mint. She let him pull her up to sit next to him, returning the kiss for a moment. Then, in the blink of an eye, his hand was up her shirt, under her bikini top, and he was groping her. Surprised, Mermista froze for a few moments before coming to her senses. She summoned a wave as she pushed him away, dousing him in the water before she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, glaring at him, then swam home.  [/CONTENT WARNING]

After she rejected him, they didn’t talk much. Dinners were awkward, when they were forced to spend time together, Mermista would bury herself in a book and give him the cold shoulder. A few weeks later, his home was finally repaired and they left. 

It wasn’t until then that she told Peekablue what had happened--how she had reacted. Peekablue asked all the right questions--well, did she like him? No, he was an ass. So why did it upset her so much? Because he was a challenge, fun to be around, and a friend. And he’d ruined it.

“I just felt so gross and embarrassed,” Mermista admitted.

Peekablue flared up at that statement. “This was  _ not _ your fault,” he declared. 

“I kissed him back.”

“That’s not an invitation for anything more,” Peekablue insisted as he hugged her tightly. "I need you to tell me you understand that."

Now more so than ever, Peekablue was one of the few people Mermista allowed to invade her personal space for more than a quick hug or a peck on her cheek. It was purely platonic, and she was just glad to have someone on her side through everything. He instilled in her the confidence she needed to navigate the many suitors her parents tried to set her up with, and always supported her when she rejected them one after another. He listened to her and weighed in when she told him what happened with the various nobles, and was the first one to show support when she told her father that she did not need to be married to become the ruling Princess after her mother died. 

“Sometimes I wish you didn’t,” Mermista smirked as she offered him her elbow and allowed him to lead her back into the ballroom. All of her friends and family were waiting for her there.  


She didn't need him there. She was determined to enjoy herself with or without him. 


	6. Finally, finally

As the party died down and people started to leave, a group had migrated outside onto the private beach where Vega and Nova built a bonfire. Mermista could see her breath in the air as she walked with Celeste and Perfuma down to the beach, but being by the fire was so nice she didn’t think she’d need to run and get a jacket. She was thankful she dressed a little more formally with a saree tonight, because it kept the bite of the cold off her skin. 

Nova had a bag full of treats and was busy passing out marshmallows and skewers while Celeste began to pour mugs of spiked hot chocolate for everyone. Mermista reached up to remove the pin holding her hair up, shaking her curls out with both hands before she sat down on the blanket that was spread out on the sand, tucking her legs under herself. Perfuma gracefully sat down next to her.

The light from the fire made it difficult to see the marina from where she sat. She didn’t make a great effort to move somewhere she could see it. 

It was his loss, she had thought earlier, after a few shots with Peekablue and a champagne toast. She didn’t care, she resolved as she danced with her friends. She was fine, she had decided. After all, she was the badass motherfucking Princess of Salineas, and she did not need some guy by her side. 

She and Perfuma made a great team, Mermista roasting marshmallows and Perfuma assembling s’mores. They took turns feeding them to each other, and the delicious gooey chocolate sandwiches were the perfect distraction. At one point, Mermista was just roasting marshmallows to eat on their own and Perfuma had started to turn them down. 

“You’re gonna give us both stomach aches,” Perfuma warned lovingly as Mermista popped the entire rejected marshmallow into her own mouth. 

“Whatever, they’re soooo good,” Mermista drawled after she let it melt onto her tongue, then drained her mug of hot chocolate. The cinnamon rum felt good going down her throat, a warmth spreading through her chest. 

Feeling confident, she decided to lay down, resting her head in Perfuma’s lap. A soft smile and blush spread across the Plumerian Princess’ face as she began to softly stroke Mermista’s hair. 

“Yes, please,” Mermista responded, closing her eyes. She had always admired Perfuma. They had met when they were kids during the first Princess Alliance. Back then Perfuma was so shy and soft spoken, such a contrast from boisterous Peekablue and stoic but outspoken Mermista.

Mermista had been determined to become her friend back then, always making an effort to share things with Perfuma and putting in the time to walk through the Salinean gardens with her even though she couldn’t care less about land flora. As she began to open up, Mermista really admired all of the knowledge and passion locked inside of that blonde head. Then the Alliance dissolved, and they rarely saw each other anymore. 

Until Mermista’s mom’s funeral, where Perfuma spent the entire day fawning over her. She even spent the night, staying up and listening while Mermista admitted how scared and sad she was now. How she wasn’t sure she was ready to take on the Pearl’s full power or the responsibility of leading the kingdom. Perfuma was, as always, soothing and reassuring, instilling in Mermista the confidence she needed to get through the next few weeks. 

Right now, Perfuma was manifesting purple and blue rosebuds and intertwining them in Mermista’s hair, accentuating her tiara. 

“This isn’t going to be like the last time, where I couldn’t get them out and they just like, died, and I was picking petals and leaves out of my hair for weeks, right?” Mermista teased, her eyes still closed and a relaxed smile across her slightly flushed face. 

Perfuma laughed awkwardly. “Probably not, but you never know. I still don’t have a complete connection with the Heart-Blossom. There’s no going back now though, I’m already done!” She grabbed Mermista’s wrist as she reached for it. “Don’t touch it,” she scolded. 

Mermista frowned, feigning offense. 

They were interrupted as Vega asked if either of them wanted more to drink. Mermista sat up as they both said yes, and leaned her head on Perfuma’s shoulder as Vega handed her another cup of hot chocolate. 

Despite Sea Hawk’s disappointing absence, it had been a pretty wonderful birthday. 

･ﾟﾟ･｡ .*･｡ﾟ.・゜゜・. .*･｡ﾟ

Finally, finally they arrived at the marina. Sea Hawk’s heart was threatening to exit his chest as it beat with fervor. He patted his pocket for the hundredth time that evening to ensure he had the box with her gift in it. It was almost half past eleven, but he was determined to see her  _ on _ her birthday. They had barely pulled up to the dock before he jumped over the side of the boat and began sprinting towards the castle. Nerissa called after him, wishing him luck, but he didn’t even turn to acknowledge her. 

He slowed as he approached the gate, not wanting to arrive sweaty and out of breath. He was focusing on his breathing, trying to calm his nerves, humming one of his favorite songs at a double-time tempo to bring his spirits up. 

He had never been this close to the castle before. No boats were allowed within several hundred feet of the castle’s private beach, and he had no business there before. It was incredible, a massive building made from stone featuring a number of towers that ascended towards the sky, ending in soft spirals. He knew during the day it was a soft steel blue color, but in the light of the moon it was a beautiful shade of deep rosy magenta. 

“Name and business?” the guard at the gate asked in a bored tone. 

“Sea Hawk, Princess Mermista’s birthday party?” He asked. 

“Invitation?”

_ Shit _ , Sea Hawk thought. “She invited me verbally,” he said nervously. 

“No entry without invitation,” the guard deadpanned. 

Sea Hawk’s shoulders dropped as he tried to think of something, anything to turn this night around. The whole day had just been one bad thing after another, but this was just another obstacle, and he’d get through it just like the others. 

Before he could come up with something, a familiar Prince sauntered over to them. “You can let him in, Aenon,” he said cheerfully as he sidled up to the guard. “He’s with me.” He looked Sea Hawk up and down. “You clean up pretty good for a pirate,” he added. A lump formed in Sea Hawk’s throat.  _ How did he know? _

“With all due respect, your highness, you don’t have any say in the guest list.” 

Peekablue took the guard’s arm in his hands and leaned into him. “Oh, don’t be so serious my love! Besides, I  _ am _ the one who was given the task of writing the guest list. Our lovely boy Sea Hawk was just a  _ last minute _ addition by Princess Mermista.” Peekablue narrowed his eyes at Sea Hawk as he enunciated “last minute”, causing Sea Hawk’s cheeks to flush as he shamefully rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight from one side to the other. 

Before the guard could protest, Peekablue grabbed Sea Hawk’s arm and yanked him through the gate. “You’re so late,” the Prince scolded as he power walked them through the gardens that surrounded the castle.

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry--we got caught up leaving Snows and it just put our whole day off track. How did you know?” Sea Hawk asked, still stunned.

“Oh darling, did you really think I wasn’t going to look into you?” Peekablue laughed. Sea Hawk chewed on his bottom lip, looking anywhere but the Prince’s face. “Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything to her about the piracy, or your… ah, tendency for promiscuity. Mermista is a grown up and she can decide how she feels about all of...  _ that _ herself. I’m rooting for you, though.”

“Thanks, I think?”

“As for how I knew you’d be here just then, I have the power of farsight,” Peekablue said cheerfully. “I just happened to see you’d have a little bit of trouble getting in tonight, our Princess can be a little forgetful when it comes to details like tangible invitations. That’s why she needs me to keep track of things for her. I manage all her events and make sure she doesn’t acquaint herself with any criminals or Horde spies, but don’t particularly care to manage her relationships.”

“Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” the Prince said. “Just a word of advice--don’t bother her with some elaborate story, it’ll just annoy her. Just say you’re sorry and move on. And you should probably tell her you’re a pirate sooner rather than later.” 

Sea Hawk nodded. They approached the private beach, where a bonfire had been lit and it was surrounded by a small group of people. Music and laughter filled the air in the distance. 

Suddenly, Peekablue stopped and turned to face Sea Hawk, tightening his grip on his arm. The Prince was several inches shorter than him, but still managed to look down on him.

“Also, I need you to know that if you hurt her, intentionally or not, you’re going to have way more than just the wrath of the sea to deal with. I can ruin you in ways you can’t even imagine.” 

Sea Hawk swallowed. 

“Mermista is my best friend and the most important person in my life. So, if you’re not serious about her—if she’s just a conquest to you—you can turn back now and I’m sure she’ll eventually move on.”

“I’m definitely serious about her,” Sea Hawk said, looking the Prince directly in the eye now. “I’d never treat her like that.”

“You better be, because I will literally end you, and they won’t find your body.” 

“I believe you,” Sea Hawk chuckled, nervously drumming his fingers on the box in his pocket.

“She’s going to love the earrings, by the way.” Peekablue winked at him before continuing, leading Sea Hawk to the beach. Sea Hawk exhaled a relieved sigh, not realizing he was holding his breath until that moment. 

As they approached, the sound of laughter and excited talking grew louder. A smile took over Sea Hawk’s face at the beautiful sound of Mermista’s laugh. She was sitting next to the blonde from the club, Perfuma, with her back turned to them. The fire illuminated her lovely figure and created a blue halo around her hair. 

“Mermista~” Peekablue sang, a sharp contrast to the tone he had used just moments before with Sea Hawk. “I found a lost little puppy looking for you!” 

All eyes turned to them, but the only ones Sea Hawk concerned himself with were Mermista’s amber ones. Her face lit up as she turned, then stood up, using Perfuma’s shoulder to steady herself. 

“Hey, cool, you came,” she said nonchalantly as she closed the distance between them. 

“I’m so sorry, Princess, please excuse my tardiness,” Sea Hawk said.

Mermista shrugged in response. “S’okay. I figured something came up.” 

“Also, you look gorgeous, as usual,” he added as he pulled her into a hug. She stiffened for a moment then leaned into it, breathing in the warm and inviting scent of his cologne, the same smell she’d fallen asleep to every night that week. It instantly relaxed her and she didn't want to let go. “And happy birthday. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

“You almost missed it,” Mermista smirked when it was over. 

“But, I didn’t,” Sea Hawk said, his cocky grin and dark, sparkling eyes sending her stomach into somersaults. He produced a small box from his pocket and held it out to her. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

“You didn’t have to do that!” Mermista said as she took the small box. It was a soft robin’s egg blue with a gold ribbon holding it closed. 

“I wanted to.” Sea Hawk held his breath as she carefully untied the ribbon and removed the top to reveal a pair of gold ear cuffs with a delicate brushed swirl pattern on them. She gasped excitedly as she ran her finger over the pattern. 

“These are beautiful,” she said softly as she met his gaze. She brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear, then asked him to put them on for her. He obliged, gently pinching them closed so they were snug but not too tight, and she grinned up at him. “How do they look?”

“So beautiful,” Sea Hawk said, his fingers lingering on her cheek. 

“Yes, yes, you’re both very cute,” Peekablue interrupted, shattering the moment as Mermista broke eye contact to roll her eyes at the Prince.

“Come meet everyone,” she said, grabbing Sea Hawk’s wrist and pulling him over to the group. 


	7. Get a Little Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This gets a little hot and heavy, but doesn’t move past second base.

Sea Hawk had set the blanket on fire. 

It wasn’t on purpose. He just liked extra toasty marshmallows. He was letting one on fire sit just a little longer, then became very distracted by Mermista placing her hand on his thigh as they were listening to Peekablue acting out his latest farsight predictions. He turned to look at her, her eyes still fixed on her friend. Her tiara, a golden halo encrusted with sapphires and diamonds with a large central pearl sparkled in the firelight. He admired the way the flickering fire reflected in her amber eyes and cast a gorgeous glow on her flawless complexion, her slightly parted lips and subtle smile were mesmerizing.

As she turned to look over at him, her eyes widened and her face dropped in horror as she gasped. Sea Hawk looked down to where his marshmallow was now melting into the blanket, the flame that had been encasing it now burning a hole in it and spreading rapidly. 

“Shit,” he said in a panic, dropping the skewer and grabbing a handful of sand to throw over it. Mermista was faster though, pulling the contents of a nearby fountain towards them and dropping it onto the flame while also splashing everyone around them. 

“Dude, be careful!” she scolded, smacking Sea Hawk’s arm, hard. “Are you trying to die?!”

“S-sorry, it was an accident!” 

“How do you accidentally start a fire!?”

Sea Hawk laughed nervously. “You’d be surprised.”

Mermista shook her head, annoyed. A cough from behind Sea Hawk grabbed her attention, and she stammered a flustered apology upon realizing she had not just soaked him, but Celeste and Vega who sat on the other side of him. A little more attentive this time, she raised her hand to pull the water off of her friends and Sea Hawk and returned it to the fountain. 

“Guess I’m not as skilled when I’ve had a few drinks,” she relented. 

Celeste laughed. “At least your aim was somewhere in the realm of where it should be!” She held up her hand, drew a small rune in the air with her index finger and with a flick of her wrist, sent it to the burnt spot. As soon as the light faded, the spot was completely repaired, as if nothing had happened. 

Sea Hawk was fascinated, he’d never seen rune magic up close. “That’s amazing!” he declared to Celeste. “I wish you were around when my ship burnt down!”

“I’m sorry, your—what—burnt down?” Mermista asked, grabbing his bicep and pulling him towards her. “Is that why you were late?”

“No, no, no, this was months ago,” Sea Hawk said with a casual wave of his hand. 

“How do you burn down a whole ship!? On the _sea?”_

“It’s actually kind of a funny story,” Sea Hawk chuckled, picking up his mug of spiked hot chocolate and drinking from it. 

“We’re all listening,” Peekablue said after a moment, crossing his arms over his chest with an amused smirk. Mermista had a wild look in her eyes and everyone else was looking at him intently. 

Sea Hawk exhaled, gathering himself.

“Okay!” he began excitedly. “My crew and I were making our way back to SeaWorthy from a rather dull and uneventful fishing trip near Dryl. After we skillfully navigated the rocky straits of Serpentine and dropped off our load, the seas were uncharacteristically tame and there was nary another ship for miles around. My crew was growing bored, our newest mate had taken over as lookout—she was quite capable, I must say, thanks to my guidance!” 

Mermista groaned next to him, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. He grinned at her before he continued. 

“She suddenly called out, ‘Ho, Captain Sea Hawk! Horde incoming!’ I quickly ascended the mast to join her, and there she was in the distance—“ he jabbed the air with his finger for dramatic effect—“a mighty vessel with their horrible mascot painted on the side—in a dispute with a poor charter ship. Wasting no time, I made my way to the helm and changed course to assist. As we approached the scuffle, I saw that the scoundrel Horde soldiers were capturing the honorable charter crew, already having the captain tied up!”

Sea Hawk got to his feet, really getting into the story now. “Unsheathing my cutlass with my crew following behind me, I quickly made my way onto the charter ship and demanded a duel with the Horde Captain in charge.”

“Uh-huh,” Peekablue said, touching his hand to his chin and tilting his head in curious enjoyment. 

“Of course you would,” Mermista chided. 

“He was an ugly brute, seven feet tall and nearly half as wide, weilding a stun gun in either hand!” At this Sea Hawk began acting out his actions, to Mermista’s horror. “I swiftly approached him, narrowly avoiding the stun baton as he swung it towards me and apprehended him, sending one of the batons into the ocean deep!

“His crew began to move in on me, but my men handled them as I continued to dual one-on-one with the captain. We neared the hull of the ship and I had him backed into a corner when he began begging for mercy. ‘Not after you tried to rob these poor civilians!’ I shouted before disarming him and tossing him overboard. I returned to my crew and saw that they were handling themselves quite well, dare I say. 

“To our horror, another Horde ship approached in the distance! Knowing my crew was tired out and unsure of just how many more men they were holding, I did the only thing that made sense at the time. I hopped back onto my ship, changed course towards the pursuers and lit her up before sending her crashing into their vessel! Just in the nick of time, I swung over and landed on the charter ship to take down the last two Horde soldiers and save the crew!”

Perfuma was clapping next to her. “Bravo!” She shouted.

“Ugh, don’t encourage him,” Mermista groaned with an eye roll. 

“The Captain was so grateful, he insisted on giving me another ship as a thank you, which is how I now have the Dragon’s Daughter II!” Sea Hawk finished with a fist pump and wink at Mermista. 

“Very heroic!” Celeste said with a giggle, leaning towards him as Sea Hawk sat back down between her and Mermista. She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, put her hand on his thigh and squeezed, looking up at him through her long dark eyelashes. “I would have loved to see that.”

Mermista moved closer to him so their thighs touched, glaring at Celeste until she removed her hand. “How much of that was actually true?” She asked, turning to Sea Hawk who was now red in the face. 

“What?” he sputtered. “All of it, of course!”

“You expect me to believe you took on a dude three times your size on your own?” 

“Absolutely! Sailor’s honor, Princess!”

Mermista laughed, shaking her head and leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand on his thigh. She yawned then. “I think we should all probably go to bed now,” she said, suddenly sleepy. She turned to look up at Sea Hawk. “I kind of told Perfuma she could have your room since I didn’t think you were coming. So you’re stuck with me.” 

“I can deal with that,” he said confidently as he got up and offered her a hand to help her to her feet. She stumbled for a second, a little drunker than she expected, and he didn’t waste a moment before picking her up. 

“No, put me down, I can walk,” Mermista protested. 

“Yeah, but you don’t have to, just tell me where to go.” And she was kind of tired, so she let him carry her bridal style to her bedroom. The clothes he had let her borrow were neatly folded on her bed, and she crossed the room to grab them for him.

“You can use the shower across the hall if you want,” she said as she kicked off her heels, increasing their height difference another three inches, and began to take off her saree, revealing her bare shoulders in her strapless dress. 

“You are so beautiful,” Sea Hawk breathed. 

Mermista smiled nervously as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. 

“Can I kiss you?” He asked this time, and she nodded, standing on her toes to meet him. It didn’t take long before she had pulled him back to the bed and he was on top of her as they made out, tongues dancing together and hands tangled in each other’s hair. Sea Hawk moved his lips to her jaw, to her neck, keeping his hands respectfully on her waist and behind her head. She grabbed the hand on her waist and moved it up to her breast as he kissed her neck. He groaned softly as he touched her, wanting to memorize every curve of her body. She moved her hand down to unbutton his vest, sliding it off of him, then pulled his shirt out from where it was tucked in his pants. He pulled it off and she sat up to unzip her dress. 

“I’ve never done this before, but I want to,” she said sheepishly, avoiding eye contact. “You’re just gonna have to lead.”

“Are you sure?” Sea Hawk panted. Mermista looked him up and down, at his now messy hair, those full lips, his chiseled chest and, Neptune, those abs.

“Positive,” she said confidently as she unzipped it and he helped her slide out of it as she lifted her hips so he could pull it off of her. She removed her tiara and set it at the foot of her bed. Laying there in just her underwear, her arms above her head and her hair surrounding her in a blue halo, she was suddenly feeling very vulnerable in the chilly room. 

“Fuck,” was all Sea Hawk said as he looked her over. Her lacey lilac lingerie complimented her figure perfectly. He put one hand gently on her wrist above her head and began kissing her neck again, moving down to her chest. Her soft moans and whimpers were music to his ears, and he felt all of his blood rushing south. He looked up at her for her nod before reaching under her and unhooking her bra, taking it off to reveal her perfect breasts. “Gorgeous, gorgeous,” he said softly as he leaned down to kiss one of them.

 _“_ _You’re head over heels then it just kind of fizzles out after you sleep with them,_ _”_ Nerissa’s words echoed in his head. 

This wasn’t the same, he argued with himself as he began trailing kisses down her stomach. Her thighs were pressed together as he moved to the hemline of her panties, the smell of her intoxicating him. 

_“Hit it and quit it.”_

Maybe now wasn’t the time. He began trailing kisses back up her stomach, to her neck and gently back on her lips before he got off of her, laying down next to her. A little confused, Mermista moved to straddle him. He leaned into her kisses but held onto her hips before she could drop them down to his waist. 

“What’s wrong?” Mermista asked, perplexed. The view of her at this angle was almost enough to make him lose it. 

“I just want to take it slow with you,” Sea Hawk responded. 

“I told you I wanted to,” Mermista protested, moving her hips in an attempt to release herself from his grip. 

“I know, I know, but you’re drunk and—“

“I’m not that drunk!” Mermista got off of him and sat down at the edge of the bed, crossing her arms over her chest. She was clearly not used to hearing the word no. 

“Hey, hey, don’t be like that.” Sea Hawk sat up and put his arm on her shoulders, but she shrugged it off. 

“Sorry I’m not like, skinny like Perfuma or athletic like Celeste,” Mermista said as she turned away from him. 

“What?!” Sea Hawk exclaimed. “Mermista, you are _gorgeous._ Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman with a more perfect body!” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. “Don’t compare yourself to your friends like that, darling, I don’t even see them. I only have eyes for you. I just want your first time to be perfect, special.”

Mermista sighed. “I drank a lot because I figured the alcohol would give me the confidence to do this. And then you go and turn me down,” she laughed. She turned to look at him, her amber eyes and dark eyelashes were mesmerizing. “You really think I’m perfect?” 

“Have you seen these?” Sea Hawk asked, motioning towards her breasts, bringing out another laugh. “And this??” He moved his hand down to her ass and squeezed it gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. After a moment she adjusted her hips. 

“He doesn’t seem to want to take it slow,” she suggested. 

“He doesn’t get to choose,” Sea Hawk said as he kissed her temple. Mermista laughed again, this one turning into a yawn. “I think it’s time for showers and sleep,” he added. 

Mermista nodded before crawling off of his lap. She looked over her shoulder as she walked towards her bathroom, the swing of her hips was hypnotizing. “Enjoying the view?”

“Absolutely,” Sea Hawk said, leaning back on his elbows. When she closed the door behind her, he grabbed his change of clothes and went to the other bathroom to take care of himself. 

He finished before she did, and sat awkwardly at the edge of the bed waiting for her. She came out with slightly damp hair falling down her back in a soft blue nightgown that hugged her curves and stopped mid thigh. She was also wearing fuzzy blue socks that stopped mid-calf. Sea Hawk smiled at them. 

“I get cold, okay?” She defended herself and Sea Hawk held up his hands. 

“No judgement here, you look so cute,” he said with a grin. Mermista climbed under the covers and looked at him. 

“Are you gonna sit there and stare at me all night or are you coming to bed?”

“Like, join you in your bed?” Sea Hawk asked stupidly. 

“Yeah, dummy, I don’t see any other beds here.” She pulled back the cover on the other side of the bed and patted the mattress next to her. Sea Hawk reluctantly climbed in next to her, leaning back onto an impossibly soft pile of pillows. Mermista yawned again before using her hydrokinesis to flip off the light switch on the other side of the room. 

In the pitch darkness, she moved towards him and cuddled up to his side with her head on his chest. His heart was pounding, but the sound of his breathing put her to sleep almost instantly. 

Sea Hawk was still just amazed that this was his life now. 


End file.
